Elections

Election Changes
Current legislation has brought about many changesin the election process. However, the most noticeable change to the public will be the Consolidated Elections legislature.

Polling Locations
Currently, the City of Swartz Creek holds its elections at the United Methodist Church, 7400 Miller Rd. All city precincts vote here.

School Elections
Under the current "Consolidated Elections" legislation that was passed in 2003 and 2004, all local school district elections, intermediate school district elections, and community college district elections will be administered by Michigan's county, city and township clerks effective January 1st, 2005. For Genesee County, each election of the school district must utilize municipal precincts and polling locations.

Therefore, each municipality in the Swartz Creek School District will be conducting the school elections at their precincts and polling locations. These are the places that you go to vote for all other primary and general elections.

What this means for the residents of Swartz Creek is that you will be voting at the United Methodist Church located at 7400 Miller Road. The school elections will no longer be held at Mary Crapo, Dieck Elementary, Gaines Elementary and Morrish Elementary.

Absentee ballots will be available at the City of Swartz Creek Clerk's Office for City of Swartz Creek residents only; at Clayton Township Clerk's Office for Clayton Township residents only; Flint Township Clerk's Office for Flint Township residents only; Gaines Township Clerk's Office for Gaines Township residents only; Mundy Township Clerk's Office for Mundy Township residents only and Argentine Township Clerk's Office for Argentine Township residents only.

In addition to the polling place change, the date that school elections are held has also changed. The Swartz Creek School District has decided to hold thair school elections annually in May; therefore the School Board Election will be held on May 3, 2005.

For those interested in being a School Board candidate, you may pick up your filing forms at the Genesee County Clerk's Office in Flint. The County Clerk's Office will be responsible for receiving filing fees or nominating petitions and affidavits of identity from the candidate for school board.

Register to Vote
To register to vote you must be:

• a U.S. Citizen
• at least 18 years of age by election day
• a resident of Michigan and the city or township where you are applying to register to vote

You can register to vote for federal, state, and local elections by mail; at your county or city clerk's office; or by visiting any Secretary of State branch office.

You must register at least 30 days before the election. This gives the clerk time to process the forms and send you a Voter Identification Card.

Whenever you move to a new city or township, you must re-register to vote. If you move within a city or township, you must update your address. This can be handled through a Secretary of State branch office. Michigan voters must use the same residential address for voter registration and driver's license purposes. Consequently, if you submit a driver's license address change, it will be applied to your voter registration.

First-time voter
If you have never voted in Michigan and register by mail, you must appear in person to vote in the first election in which you wish to participate.

This requirement does not apply if:

• You or another person hand delivers the mail registration form to your county, city or township clerk's office instead of mailing the form
• You are 60 years if age or more
• You are disabled
• You are eligible to vote under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act

Outside the U.S.
If you are temporarily outside the U.S., you may use a Federal Postcard Application (FPCA) form to register. The FPCA forms are distributed through U.S. embassies and military bases. A Michigan resident who moves and registers out of state may not re-register to vote in Michigan until he or she reestablishes residency here.

You may also register at the same time you renew your driver's license by mail. Eligible drivers receive a voter registration application in the mail with their driver's license renewal information.

Absentee Voting
Absent voter ballots are available for all elections. They provide voters with a convenient mechod for casting a ballot when they are unable to attend the polls on election day.

As a registered voter, you may obtain an absent voter ballot if you are:

• age 60 years old or older
• unable to vote without assistance at the polls
• expecting to be out of town on election day
• in jail awaiting arraignment or trial
• unable to attend the polls due to religious reasons
• appointed to work as an election inspector in a precinct outside of your precinct of residence

Requesting an Absent Voter Ballot
Your request for an absent voter ballot must be in writing and can be submitted to the city clerk's office. Your request must include one of the six statutory reasons stated above and your signature. You may request an absent voter ballor with a letter or postcard, or you can obtain a pre-printed application form at the clerk's office. Requests to have an absent voter ballot mailed to you must be received by the clerk no later than 2 p.m. on the Saturday before the election.

Absent voter ballots may be issued to you at your home address or any address outside of your city of residence.

After receiving your absent voter ballor, you have until 8 p.m. on election day to complete the ballot and return it to the clerk's office.

Your ballot will not be counted unless your signature is on the return envelope and matches your signature on file. If you received assistance voting the ballot, then the signature of the person who helped you must also be on the return envelope. Only you, a family member or person residing in your household, a mail carrier, or election official is authorized to deliver your signed absent voter ballot to the clerk's office.

If an emergency, such as a sudden illness or family death prevents you from reaching the polls on election day, you may request an emergency absent voter ballot. Requests for an emergency ballot must be submitted after the deadline for regular absent voter ballots has passed but before 4 pm on election day. The emergency must have occurred at a time which made it impossible for you to apply for a regular absent voter ballot.

Precinct Inspectors
Have You Consideered Working as a Precinct Inspector?

Precinct inspectors are people who are paid to assist voters at the polls on election day. Registered voters interested in serving as election inspectors must submit an election inspector application to the City Clerk. In addition to their name, address and date of birth, they must include their political party preference and qualifications to fill the position such as education or experience. The City of Swartz Creek pays its election inspectors $ 135/day for election day and $15 per training class.